Through The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Georgia Chapter’s newest innovation in fundraising, Students of the Year, more than 69 motivated high school students raised significant funds for LLS’s cutting-edge cancer research and patient services. Alexa Levine and Jordan Upchurch, juniors at Pace Academy in Atlanta, Georgia raised the most funds across the Atlanta area and earned the winning title, “Students of the Year.” These fundraising superstars raised funds to support LLS’s goal to find cures for blood cancers and ensure that patients have access to lifesaving treatments.

Students of the Year is a seven-week philanthropic leadership development program during which students foster professional skills such as entrepreneurship, marketing, and project management in order to raise funds for LLS, the world's largest nonprofit fighting blood cancer. The title Students of the Year and a $2,500 scholarship is awarded to the candidate or co-candidates in each community who raises the most funds during the competition. Top local fundraisers become eligible to win the national title. The students raise money in honor of a local patient hero who is currently battling or is in remission from a blood cancer.

When Levine and Upchurch learned they were named Atlanta Students of the Year, Levine stated, “Being the 2019 Students of The Year makes me realize that with hard work, and an open mind, you can truly make a difference one step at a time. It is such an honor to know that our hard work goes towards the fight to cure cancer and to help people around the world". "It was an honor to be recognized along with my partner, Alexa Levine, but the real credit goes to all fourteen members of our team. LLS makes such a positive impact on patients' and their families' lives, and I'm grateful that I was able to contribute to the fight against cancer," said Upchurch.

Levine and Upchurch ran an incredible fundraising campaign which involved a personal letter writing campaign to family and friends as well as presenting to Atlanta businesses to gain support through corporate partnerships to make an impact on the mission of LLS and in the lives of cancer patients.

“Congratulations to Alexa Levine, Jordan Upchurch and all our candidates, supporters and volunteers who helped to make Students of the Year a huge success,” said Piper Medcalf, LLS’s Georgia Chapter Executive Director. “For these incredible individuals, it’s not just about winning a title and scholarship; it’s all about the impact they are making in their communities and the generations ahead of them. From The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s beginning 70 years ago with the development of new treatments for childhood leukemia to today’s advances in precision medicine and immunotherapy, LLS has led the way in changing the way we treat cancer and care for patients.”